This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/25/2012
When considering the storied history of the New York Yankees, certain iconic figures inevitably come to mind: Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, Mickey Mantle. There can be no question that players such as these have contributed to the success and legacy of the franchise. There can also be no question that Derek Jeter has positioned himself right alongside those heroes of yesteryear, standing alone as the all-time hits leader for the club as well as being a genuine leader both on and off the field. Quite simply, he is the most popular player in the game today. Offered is an enticing OML (Selig) ball that bears the autograph of Yankee captain Derek Jeter across the sweet spot in blue ball-point ink. "Mr. November" has added the inscription "3000th Hit 7-9-11" below the autograph. While we are in no way insinuating that this is the actual ball that Jeter hit into the stands for career hit number 3000 (the fate of that special orb has been well-documented), this is a game-used ball from that very contest, displaying evidence of game use in the form of scuffs, rubbing and soiling. This historic item comes with an LOA from Yankees-Steiner Collectibles and has two Steiner stickers as well as an MLB Authenticated sticker affixed to a side panel. Indications are that Steiner offered a very limited number of balls used in that game, not even to the general public, but only to some of their more premier customers, on a first-come, first-serve basis. The autograph on this tremendous item is bold and strong, rating about a 7 out of 10. A delightful treasure that certainly belongs in the trophy room of a dedicated Yankee fanatic.